Man admits to sneaking box cutters onto CVG flight, threatening to 'stab someone'

A Cincinnati-area man has admitted to sneaking box cutters onto a flight from Cincinnati to Tampa, Florida, and making comments about stabbing someone on board, forcing the aircraft to make an emergency landing in another city.

William Allen Liebisch, 43, pleaded guilty Thursday in federal court in Atlanta to a single count of interference with flight crew members and attendants, federal court records show.

In November 2022, Liebisch boarded Frontier Airlines flight 1761, which was departing from the Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport and scheduled to land at Tampa International Airport.

That flight didn’t arrive at its destination, however, because at some point Liebisch brandished a large box cutter while standing in the rear of the aircraft, an FBI special agent wrote in an affidavit. He also told another passenger that he planned to “stab someone on this plane.”

The flight was diverted to Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, where Atlanta police evacuated the plane of most passengers, except for Liebisch and two others, who remained seated.

As the last passengers stepped off the plane, flight attendants told police that Liebisch was running toward the front of the aircraft, the agent said. One of the remaining passengers tackled Liebisch from behind.

Police then placed Liebisch in handcuffs and searched him. They found a yellow-handled DeWalt box cutter in his jacket pocket and later found a red-handled Pro-Grade box cutter among his belongings.

Officials previously said they believed Liebisch was moving from Cincinnati to Tampa. Public records list Liebisch's last known residence in Greater Cincinnati as being in North College Hill.

The Transportation Security Administration said its officers at CVG didn't follow procedure when they found a box cutter among Liebisch's possessions and a screening of his property failed to discover that a second box cutter was stored away in his backpack.

Liebisch approached the TSA checkpoint at CVG around 5:30 p.m. on Nov. 11, 2022, and his belongings were screened using CT technology, which creates a 3-D image that can be rotated 360 degrees.

A review of the incident found the image review capabilities of the CT equipment "were not fully used," TSA officials said, adding the box cutters weren't identified by the CT operator.

Liebisch's property was picked out for further search, and that's when one of the box cutters was discovered.

Agents removed the visible blades from the box cutter and handed it back to Liebisch, a move that TSA officials said was contrary to standard procedure, which requires such items to be placed in a checked bag or voluntarily abandoned.

Liebisch’s public defender has yet to respond to a phone call and email from The Enquirer seeking comment.

As part of his plea agreement, prosecutors are recommending a 30-month prison term. They also agreed to dismiss a second count of carrying a dangerous weapon on board an aircraft.

In addition to prison time, Liebisch is facing a possible maximum fine of $250,000 and restitution payments.

He’s scheduled to appear in court for sentencing on March 14.

This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Cincinnati man admits wielding box cutter on flight from CVG to Tampa